Can Massage Envy Corporate retaliate against us for participating in an Association?

The short answer is “No.” The better answer is that we do not plan on doing anything corporate should fear or would prompt them to retaliate. Our goal is to work with them for everyone’s benefit. There are also specific legal prohibitions against retaliation.

Our Association is a California Non-Profit Mutual Benefit Corporation, and California law provides: It shall be a violation of this division for any franchisor, directly or indirectly, through any officer, agent or employee, to restrict or inhibit the right of franchisees to join a trade association or to prohibit the right of free association among franchisees for any lawful purposes.

Violation of this provision should be an unfair trade practice under California law as well. Simply said, if anyone retaliates against any of us for supporting this organization, they could get in big legal trouble.